I need to create an smooth hardware upgrade path for multiple Netware 4.11 servers. These are mission critical and while they are backed up on tape the build time does not allow for reinstall/reload data. 600+ Users are waiting for these machines at 9am! What I want is a simple way to backup the existing RAID 5 array. If it had a single IDE drive we could clone it. Suggestions as to how to mirror this server so that it can be quickly backed up if things go fubar please. All hardware/software suggestions considered. Thanks in advance. Neil

Neil, I think you're on the right track. Tape backup and restore is very slow. I have seen/heard of this done a couple of different ways. If you use BackUp Exec there is an Intellegent Disaster Recovery option that allows you to boot with the bare minimum and restore from tape. I've also heard of people using the Disaster Recovery diskette from SnapBack Live(http://www.cdp.com). You don't need to purchase the product, just use the Recovery diskette. Apparently it allows you to backup and restore a server as long as you have a SCSI tape drive connected to the server. You just boot up with the diskette and if it can utilize your SCSI tape drive, you're gold. Then there's always imaging software like Ghost for Netware ($$$$) and Server Magic. I haven't used Ghost for NW but I have used Server Image (part of Server Magic) to backup and restore netware partitions. It works pretty good. You can compress the images that you create and you can resize the partitions when you restore. It'll be as fast as your hard drive can move. If you've use Ghost on PCs then you'll feel right at home. Just my 2 cents. Can anyone else here think of a better/faster restore? My info is a little old. Some young fellers posting in here probably have a quick/slick technique and I'm over here rubbing two stick together. Good Luck, RT

Yo Niel Are you just tring to get more space on you server or what. If you have a compaq server you can just expand the array its a piece of cake. If your tring to get your current netware config on a new faster server. Then there are some good TIDS on novell web site. Search for one about upgrading server hardware. Server Magic might also fit your problem. Give me an update I'll try to help

Thank you all for your information.. Actually I'm designing a hardware upgrade path for SAs. Pretty simple stuff really buy I'd like them to have a no-fuss and (most of all) non-tape backout route if an upgrade (rom pack or hardware failure) goes wrong. Problem is some of the tapes are large robotic devices in other buildings. Backups at weekends may not be possible due to access/speed of recovery/ staff not being available. I'm currently looking at: - Server magic - Ghost for Netware - Disaster Recovery diskette (for servers with local backup) - Mirroring entire RAID Array In particular what are the issues in: - creating Ghost images from a 5 disk array (does it see it as a single disk) - rebuilding disks from single ghost image Any thoughts? Neil

We used Ghost for NW to image from mirrored server to another server running RAID 5. Ghost did 'see' the Raid 5 as a single drive.

ms is talking about the SPACE. Neil, how was the trip to the Moon? Did you encounter with any GHOST there?